Tag: Knitwear Design Process

First of all, I would like to say this series is helping alot – the last list really helped me focus for the week and I’m happy to say I got almost everything on it done. So thanks for reading and keeping me on track! 🙂

Week of March 7 – 11:

Get pattern tech edited and graded. (This is the first time I’ve ever had one of my patterns tech edited and graded. I love to learn as I go and push myself to figure things out, but this pattern has multiple color charts and Knitty requires you to have a pattern graded all the way from XS to 2x.)

Submit pattern to Knitty once the tech editor returns it to me (This is a separate item because Knitty has a very specific format to follow and I will have to take my usual pattern layout and conform it to Knitty’s requirements.)

Register and decide on classes for Vogue Knitting Live in Pasadena. (This will take a bit of configuring because my daughter has a campout that same weekend.)

Sketch out ideas for a new collaboration I’m doing with Colinton Australia. (All my designs start with sketching, which comes in handy when I get about halfway through a project and start to lose focus. A visual of the original idea is the best help during a project!)

Wind the yarn I just received from Colinton. (Separate item on the list because there are 8 skeins which will take more than just 5 minutes, even with a ballwinder and swift.)

When sketching is done, begin knitting swatches to see if everything translates well from paper to yarn. Again, a separate item on the list because swatching includes washing and blocking. (Best way to get accurate gauge, which is a key element in writing good patterns.)

Like this:

Here is the start of a new series which I hope you will enjoy. It has a two-fold purpose – it’s good for me to take the time to think about what I want to accomplish in a week and to set goals. Writing a weekly post will force me to take time out to do that. And for reader benefit, there were those of you who were interested in reading more about how a design comes to fruition – mainly, not just finished pieces, but also the mistakes and things I end up changing, the process, etc.

To start it off, my to-do list for this week:

Finish a throw I’ve been working on since October.

Complete the knitting on a jacket design I’ve been working on for a few years – collar, sew sleeves, finishing.

Finish the pattern writing for the design.

Research where I prefer to submit said jacket design for publication – Knitty or Interweave?

Figure out styling for the design and take photos for the pattern and submission

When I decide where to submit, prepare submission according to their specs.

Sketch a few design ideas that have been in my head but need to get out on paper. (This should have already been done because ideas are fleeting things and shouldn’t be wasted!)